Authentic Tom Kha Gai (Printable)

Tender chicken in coconut milk broth infused with lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. Thai comfort at its finest.

# What You'll Need:

→ Aromatics & Broth

01 - 3 cups chicken broth
02 - 1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed and smashed
03 - 4 slices fresh galangal
04 - 4 makrut lime leaves, torn into pieces
05 - 3 Thai bird's eye chilies, lightly crushed

→ Main Ingredients

06 - 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thinly sliced
07 - 14 fluid ounces full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk
08 - 5 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
09 - 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

→ Seasonings & Finishing

10 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
11 - 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus more to taste
12 - 1 teaspoon palm sugar
13 - 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
14 - 2 green onions, sliced
15 - Lime wedges for serving

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a medium pot, bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer. Add lemongrass, galangal, makrut lime leaves, and chilies. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to infuse the broth with aromatics.
02 - Add the sliced chicken and shallot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the chicken turns opaque.
03 - Add the mushrooms and pour in the coconut milk. Stir gently and bring back to a simmer. Do not let it boil vigorously.
04 - Season the soup with fish sauce, palm sugar, and lime juice. Adjust seasoning to taste, balancing salty, sour, and sweet notes.
05 - Remove from heat. Discard the lemongrass, galangal slices, and lime leaves if desired.
06 - Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro, green onions, and serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, but comes together in under 40 minutes without fussy technique.
  • The coconut milk creates this silky comfort that wraps around tender chicken, making it feel like a warm hug on a difficult day.
  • Once you nail the balance of fish sauce, lime, and palm sugar, you'll have the secret code to Thai cooking unlocked.
02 -
  • Do not let the soup boil hard once the coconut milk goes in—vigorous heat can cause the cream to separate and look curdled, which tastes fine but looks sad.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning near the end rather than at the beginning; the flavors deepen as everything simmers together, so what needs salt at minute five might be perfect by minute twenty.
  • If your soup tastes flat, it's almost always missing either lime juice or fish sauce—these two are the bridge that makes all the other flavors pop and communicate with each other.
03 -
  • Buy your lemongrass, galangal, and makrut lime leaves from an Asian market where they're fresher and cheaper than specialty grocery stores—your soup will taste noticeably brighter because of it.
  • Keep fish sauce in your pantry at all times; it's the secret weapon that takes so many Asian dishes from good to unforgettable, and once you understand its role, you'll use it constantly.
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